DCEBIO facilitates myogenic differentiation via intermediate conductance Ca2+ activated K+ channel activation in C2C12 myoblasts

Membrane hyperpolarization is suggested to be a trigger for skeletal muscle differentiation. We investigated whether DCEBIO, an opener of the small/intermediate conductance Ca2+ activated K+ (SKCa/IKCa) channels, increase myogenic differentiation in C2C12 skeletal myoblasts. DCEBIO significantly increased myotube formation, protein expression level of myosin heavy chain II, and mRNA expression level of myogenin in C2C12 myoblasts cultured in differentiation medium. DCEBIO induced myotube formation and hyperpolarization were reduced by the IKCa channel blocker TRAM-34, but not by the SKCa channel blocker apamin. These findings show that DCEBIO increases myogenic differentiation by activating IKCa channels.